Engineering allosteric control to an unregulated enzyme by transfer of a regulatory domain

Insight into the role of the Bateman domain at the molecular and physiological levels through engineered IMP dehydrogenases

Inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) dehydrogenase (IMPDH) is an ubiquitous enzyme that catalyzes the NAD+ -dependent oxidation of inosine 5'-monophosphate into xanthosine 5'-monophosphate. This enzyme is formed of two distinct domains, a core domain where the catalytic reaction occurs, and a less-conserved Bateman domain. Our previous studies gave rise to the classification of bacterial IMPDHs into two classes, according to their oligomeric and kinetic properties. MgATP is a common effector but cause to different effects when it binds within the Bateman domain: it is either an allosteric activator for Class I IMPDHs or a modulator of the oligomeric state for Class II IMPDHs. To get insight into the role of the Bateman domain in the dissimilar properties of the two classes, deleted variants of the Bateman domain and chimeras issued from the interchange of the Bateman domain between the three selected IMPDHs have been generated and characterized using an integrative structural biology approach. Biochemical, biophysical, structural, and physiological studies of these variants unveil the Bateman domain as being the carrier of the molecular behaviors of both classes.

How protein topology controls allosteric regulations

Allostery is an important regulatory mechanism of protein functions. Among allosteric proteins, certain protein structure types are more observed. However, how allosteric regulation depends on protein topology remains elusive. In this study, we extracted protein topology graphs at the fold level and found that known allosteric proteins mainly contain multiple domains or subunits and allosteric sites reside more often between two or more domains of the same fold type. Only a small fraction of fold-fold combinations are observed in allosteric proteins, and homo-fold-fold combinations dominate. These analyses imply that the locations of allosteric sites including cryptic ones depend on protein topology. We further developed TopoAlloSite, a novel method that uses the kernel support vector machine to predict the location of allosteric sites on the overall protein topology based on the subgraph-matching kernel. TopoAlloSite successfully predicted known cryptic allosteric sites in several allosteric proteins like phosphopantothenoylcysteine synthetase, spermidine synthase, and sirtuin 6, demonstrating its power in identifying cryptic allosteric sites without performing long molecular dynamics simulations or large-scale experimental screening. Our study demonstrates that protein topology largely determines how its function can be allosterically regulated, which can be used to find new druggable targets and locate potential binding sites for rational allosteric drug design.

In-Depth Computational Analysis of Natural and Artificial Carbon Fixation Pathways

In the recent years, engineering new-to-nature CO2- and C1-fixing metabolic pathways made a leap forward. New, artificial pathways promise higher yields and activity than natural ones like the Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle. The question remains how to best predict their in vivo performance and what actually makes one pathway "better" than another. In this context, we explore aerobic carbon fixation pathways by a computational approach and compare them based on their specific activity and yield on methanol, formate, and CO2/H2 considering the kinetics and thermodynamics of the reactions. Besides pathways found in nature or implemented in the laboratory, this included two completely new cycles with favorable features: the reductive citramalyl-CoA cycle and the 2-hydroxyglutarate-reverse tricarboxylic acid cycle. A comprehensive kinetic data set was collected for all enzymes of all pathways, and missing kinetic data were sampled with the Parameter Balancing algorithm. Kinetic and thermodynamic data were fed to the Enzyme Cost Minimization algorithm to check for respective inconsistencies and calculate pathway-specific activities. The specific activities of the reductive glycine pathway, the CETCH cycle, and the new reductive citramalyl-CoA cycle were predicted to match the best natural cycles with superior product-substrate yield. However, the CBB cycle performed better in terms of activity compared to the alternative pathways than previously thought. We make an argument that stoichiometric yield is likely not the most important design criterion of the CBB cycle. Still, alternative carbon fixation pathways were paretooptimal for specific activity and product-substrate yield in simulations with C1 substrates and CO2/H2 and therefore hold great potential for future applications in Industrial Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology.

Reciprocal allostery arising from a bienzyme assembly controls aromatic amino acid biosynthesis in Prevotella nigrescens

Modular protein assembly has been widely reported as a mechanism for constructing allosteric machinery. Recently, a distinctive allosteric system has been identified in a bienzyme assembly comprising a 3-deoxy-d-arabino heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase (DAH7PS) and chorismate mutase (CM). These enzymes catalyze the first and branch point reactions of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis in the bacterium Prevotella nigrescens (PniDAH7PS), respectively. The interactions between these two distinct catalytic domains support functional interreliance within this bifunctional enzyme. The binding of prephenate, the product of CM-catalyzed reaction, to the CM domain is associated with a striking rearrangement of overall protein conformation that alters the interdomain interactions and allosterically inhibits the DAH7PS activity. Here, we have further investigated the complex allosteric communication demonstrated by this bifunctional enzyme. We observed allosteric activation of CM activity in the presence of all DAH7PS substrates. Using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments, we show that changes in overall protein conformations and dynamics are associated with the presence of different DAH7PS substrates and the allosteric inhibitor prephenate. Furthermore, we have identified an extended interhelix loop located in CM domain, loop_C320-F333, as a crucial segment for the interdomain structural and catalytic communications. Our results suggest that the dual-function enzyme PniDAH7PS contains a reciprocal allosteric system between the two enzymatic moieties as a result of this bidirectional interdomain communication. This arrangement allows for a complex feedback and feedforward system for control of pathway flux by connecting the initiation and branch point of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis.

Optogenetic Analysis of Allosteric Control in Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases

Allosteric regulation enables dynamic adjustments to protein function that permit tight control over cellular biochemistry. Discrepancies in the allosteric systems of related proteins can thus reveal important differences in their susceptibilities to influential stimuli (e.g., allosteric ligands, mutations, or post-translational modifications). This study uses an optogenetic actuator as a tool to compare the allosteric systems of two structurally related regulatory proteins: protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) and T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TCPTP). It begins with an interesting observation: The fusion of a protein light switch to the allosterically influential α7 helix of PTP1B permits optical modulation of its catalytic activity, but a similar fusion to TCPTP does not. A subsequent analysis of different PTP chimeras shows that replacing regions of TCPTP with homologous regions from PTP1B can enhance photocontrol; as TCPTP becomes more "PTP1B-like", its photosensitivity increases. Interestingly, the structural changes required for photocontrol also enhance the sensitivity of TCPTP to other allosteric inputs, notably, an allosteric inhibitor and a newly reported activating mutation. Our findings indicate that the allosteric functionality of the α7 helix of PTP1B is not conserved across the PTP family and highlight residues necessary to transfer this functionality to other PTPs. More broadly, our results suggest that simple gene fusion events can strengthen allosteric communication within individual protein domains and describe an intriguing application for optogenetic actuators as structural probes-a sort of physically disruptive "ratchet"-for studying protein allostery.

Domain cross-talk within a bifunctional enzyme provides catalytic and allosteric functionality in the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids

Because of their special organization, multifunctional enzymes play crucial roles in improving the performance of metabolic pathways. For example, the bacterium Prevotella nigrescens contains a distinctive bifunctional protein comprising a 3-deoxy-d-arabino heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase (DAH7PS), catalyzing the first reaction of the biosynthetic pathway of aromatic amino acids, and a chorismate mutase (CM), functioning at a branch of this pathway leading to the synthesis of tyrosine and phenylalanine. In this study, we characterized this P. nigrescens enzyme and found that its two catalytic activities exhibit substantial hetero-interdependence and that the separation of its two distinct catalytic domains results in a dramatic loss of both DAH7PS and CM activities. The protein displayed a unique dimeric assembly, with dimerization solely via the CM domain. Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)-based structural analysis of this protein indicated a DAH7PS-CM hetero-interaction between the DAH7PS and CM domains, unlike the homo-association between DAH7PS domains normally observed for other DAH7PS proteins. This hetero-interaction provides a structural basis for the functional interdependence between the two domains observed here. Moreover, we observed that DAH7PS is allosterically inhibited by prephenate, the product of the CM-catalyzed reaction. This allostery was accompanied by a striking conformational change as observed by SAXS, implying that altering the hetero-domain interaction underpins the allosteric inhibition. We conclude that for this C-terminal CM-linked DAH7PS, catalytic function and allosteric regulation appear to be delivered by a common mechanism, revealing a distinct and efficient evolutionary strategy to utilize the functional advantages of a bifunctional enzyme.

Engineering Allostery into Proteins

Our ability to engineer protein structure and function has grown dramatically over recent years. Perhaps the next level in protein design is to develop proteins whose function can be regulated in response to various stimuli, including ligand binding, pH changes, and light. Endeavors toward these goals have tested and expanded on our understanding of protein function and allosteric regulation. In this chapter, we provide examples from different methods for developing new allosterically regulated proteins. These methods range from whole insertion of regulatory domains into new host proteins, to covalent attachment of photoswitches to generate light-responsive proteins, and to targeted changes to specific amino acid residues, especially to residues identified to be important for relaying allosteric information across the protein framework. Many of the examples we discuss have already found practical use in medical and biotechnology applications.

A Three-Ring Circus: Metabolism of the Three Proteogenic Aromatic Amino Acids and Their Role in the Health of Plants and Animals

Tyrosine, phenylalanine and tryptophan are the three aromatic amino acids (AAA) involved in protein synthesis. These amino acids and their metabolism are linked to the synthesis of a variety of secondary metabolites, a subset of which are involved in numerous anabolic pathways responsible for the synthesis of pigment compounds, plant hormones and biological polymers, to name a few. In addition, these metabolites derived from the AAA pathways mediate the transmission of nervous signals, quench reactive oxygen species in the brain, and are involved in the vast palette of animal coloration among others pathways. The AAA and metabolites derived from them also have integral roles in the health of both plants and animals. This review delineates the de novo biosynthesis of the AAA by microbes and plants, and the branching out of AAA metabolism into major secondary metabolic pathways in plants such as the phenylpropanoid pathway. Organisms that do not possess the enzymatic machinery for the de novo synthesis of AAA must obtain these primary metabolites from their diet. Therefore, the metabolism of AAA by the host animal and the resident microflora are important for the health of all animals. In addition, the AAA metabolite-mediated host-pathogen interactions in general, as well as potential beneficial and harmful AAA-derived compounds produced by gut bacteria are discussed. Apart from the AAA biosynthetic pathways in plants and microbes such as the shikimate pathway and the tryptophan pathway, this review also deals with AAA catabolism in plants, AAA degradation via the monoamine and kynurenine pathways in animals, and AAA catabolism via the 3-aryllactate and kynurenine pathways in animal-associated microbes. Emphasis will be placed on structural and functional aspects of several key AAA-related enzymes, such as shikimate synthase, chorismate mutase, anthranilate synthase, tryptophan synthase, tyrosine aminotransferase, dopachrome tautomerase, radical dehydratase, and type III CoA-transferase. The past development and current potential for interventions including the development of herbicides and antibiotics that target key enzymes in AAA-related pathways, as well as AAA-linked secondary metabolism leading to antimicrobials are also discussed.

Exploring modular allostery via interchangeable regulatory domains

Most proteins comprise two or more domains from a limited suite of protein families. These domains are often rearranged in various combinations through gene fusion events to evolve new protein functions, including the acquisition of protein allostery through the incorporation of regulatory domains. The enzyme 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (DAH7PS) is the first enzyme of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis and displays a diverse range of allosteric mechanisms. DAH7PSs adopt a common architecture with a shared (β/α)₈ catalytic domain which can be attached to an ACT-like or a chorismate mutase regulatory domain that operates via distinct mechanisms. These respective domains confer allosteric regulation by controlling DAH7PS function in response to ligand Tyr or prephenate. Starting with contemporary DAH7PS proteins, two protein chimeras were created, with interchanged regulatory domains. Both engineered proteins were catalytically active and delivered new functional allostery with switched ligand specificity and allosteric mechanisms delivered by their nonhomologous regulatory domains. This interchangeability of protein domains represents an efficient method not only to engineer allostery in multidomain proteins but to create a new bifunctional enzyme.

Engineered control of enzyme structural dynamics and function

Enzymes undergo a range of internal motions from local, active site fluctuations to large-scale, global conformational changes. These motions are often important for enzyme function, including in ligand binding and dissociation and even preparing the active site for chemical catalysis. Protein engineering efforts have been directed towards manipulating enzyme structural dynamics and conformational changes, including targeting specific amino acid interactions and creation of chimeric enzymes with new regulatory functions. Post-translational covalent modification can provide an additional level of enzyme control. These studies have not only provided insights into the functional role of protein motions, but they offer opportunities to create stimulus-responsive enzymes. These enzymes can be engineered to respond to a number of external stimuli, including light, pH, and the presence of novel allosteric modulators. Altogether, the ability to engineer and control enzyme structural dynamics can provide new tools for biotechnology and medicine.

Novel ATP-cone-driven allosteric regulation of ribonucleotide reductase via the radical-generating subunit

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) are key enzymes in DNA metabolism, with allosteric mechanisms controlling substrate specificity and overall activity. In RNRs, the activity master-switch, the ATP-cone, has been found exclusively in the catalytic subunit. In two class I RNR subclasses whose catalytic subunit lacks the ATP-cone, we discovered ATP-cones in the radical-generating subunit. The ATP-cone in the Leeuwenhoekiella blandensis radical-generating subunit regulates activity via quaternary structure induced by binding of nucleotides. ATP induces enzymatically competent dimers, whereas dATP induces non-productive tetramers, resulting in different holoenzymes. The tetramer forms by interactions between ATP-cones, shown by a 2.45 Å crystal structure. We also present evidence for an Mn^IIIMn^IV metal center. In summary, lack of an ATP-cone domain in the catalytic subunit was compensated by transfer of the domain to the radical-generating subunit. To our knowledge, this represents the first observation of transfer of an allosteric domain between components of the same enzyme complex.

When a cell copies its DNA, it uses four different building blocks called deoxyribonucleotides (dNTPs). These consist of one of the four ‘bases’ (A, T, C and G), which pair up to link the two strands of DNA in the double helix, bound to a sugar and a phosphate group. If the cell contains too little or too much of one of these building blocks, an incorrect base may be inserted into the DNA. This results in a mutation, which in bacteria can cause death, and in animals may lead to cancer.

The enzyme that fabricates and carefully controls the amount of each dNTP building block inside a cell is called ribonucleotide reductase. Once there are enough building blocks in a cell the enzyme is turned off. A part of the enzyme called the ATP-cone acts as an on/off switch to control this activity.

The ribonucleotide reductase consists of a large component and a small component. Until now, studies of the ATP-cone have found it only in the large component of the enzyme. However, when looking through a public database of sequence data, Rozman Grinberg et al. noticed that ribonucleotide reductases in some bacteria have their ATP-cone joined to the small component. Does this ATP-cone also control the amounts of dNTP building blocks inside cells and, if so, how?

Rozman Grinberg et al. studied one such ATP-cone in a ribonucleotide reductase from a bacterium (named Leeuwenhoekiella blandensis) found in the Mediterranean Sea. This revealed that when the amount of dNTP building blocks reaches a certain limit, the ATP-cone turns off the enzyme. Examining the three-dimensional structure of the enzyme using a technique called X-ray crystallography revealed that when turned off, the enzyme’s small components are glued together in pairs. This prevents them from working. Rozman Grinberg et al. also discovered that this enzyme contains a new type of metal center with two manganese ions suggesting that a new reaction mechanism may operate in this class of ribonucleotide reductase.

These findings support a theory that biological on/off switches can evolve rapidly. In addition to its evolutionary and biomedical interest, understanding how the ATP-cone works might help to improve the enzymes used in industrial processes.

X-ray Scattering Studies of Protein Structural Dynamics

X-ray scattering is uniquely suited to the study of disordered systems and thus has the potential to provide insight into dynamic processes where diffraction methods fail. In particular, while X-ray crystallography has been a staple of structural biology for more than half a century and will continue to remain so, a major limitation of this technique has been the lack of dynamic information. Solution X-ray scattering has become an invaluable tool in structural and mechanistic studies of biological macromolecules where large conformational changes are involved. Such systems include allosteric enzymes that play key roles in directing metabolic fluxes of biochemical pathways, as well as large, assembly-line type enzymes that synthesize secondary metabolites with pharmaceutical applications. Furthermore, crystallography has the potential to provide information on protein dynamics via the diffuse scattering patterns that are overlaid with Bragg diffraction. Historically, these patterns have been very difficult to interpret, but recent advances in X-ray detection have led to a renewed interest in diffuse scattering analysis as a way to probe correlated motions. Here, we will review X-ray scattering theory and highlight recent advances in scattering-based investigations of protein solutions and crystals, with a particular focus on complex enzymes.

Core Genes Evolve Rapidly in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Bacteria can evolve rapidly under positive selection owing to their vast numbers, allowing their genes to diversify by adapting to different environments. We asked whether the same genes that evolve rapidly in the long-term evolution experiment (LTEE) with Escherichia coli have also diversified extensively in nature. To make this comparison, we identified ∼2000 core genes shared among 60 E. coli strains. During the LTEE, core genes accumulated significantly more nonsynonymous mutations than flexible (i.e., noncore) genes. Furthermore, core genes under positive selection in the LTEE are more conserved in nature than the average core gene. In some cases, adaptive mutations appear to modify protein functions, rather than merely knocking them out. The LTEE conditions are novel for E. coli, at least in relation to its evolutionary history in nature. The constancy and simplicity of the environment likely favor the complete loss of some unused functions and the fine-tuning of others.

Structural basis for ligand-dependent dimerization of phenylalanine hydroxylase regulatory domain

The multi-domain enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) catalyzes the hydroxylation of dietary I-phenylalanine (Phe) to I-tyrosine. Inherited mutations that result in PAH enzyme deficiency are the genetic cause of the autosomal recessive disorder phenylketonuria. Phe is the substrate for the PAH active site, but also an allosteric ligand that increases enzyme activity. Phe has been proposed to bind, in addition to the catalytic domain, a site at the PAH N-terminal regulatory domain (PAH-RD), to activate the enzyme via an unclear mechanism. Here we report the crystal structure of human PAH-RD bound with Phe at 1.8 Å resolution, revealing a homodimer of ACT folds with Phe bound at the dimer interface. This work delivers the structural evidence to support previous solution studies that a binding site exists in the RD for Phe, and that Phe binding results in dimerization of PAH-RD. Consistent with our structural observation, a disease-associated PAH mutant impaired in Phe binding disrupts the monomer:dimer equilibrium of PAH-RD. Our data therefore support an emerging model of PAH allosteric regulation, whereby Phe binds to PAH-RD and mediates the dimerization of regulatory modules that would bring about conformational changes to activate the enzyme.

The CASTOR Proteins Are Arginine Sensors for the mTORC1 Pathway

Amino acids signal to the mTOR complex I (mTORC1) growth pathway through the Rag GTPases. Multiple distinct complexes regulate the Rags, including GATOR1, a GTPase activating protein (GAP), and GATOR2, a positive regulator of unknown molecular function. Arginine stimulation of cells activates mTORC1, but how it is sensed is not well understood. Recently, SLC38A9 was identified as a putative lysosomal arginine sensor required for arginine to activate mTORC1 but how arginine deprivation represses mTORC1 is unknown. Here, we show that CASTOR1, a previously uncharacterized protein, interacts with GATOR2 and is required for arginine deprivation to inhibit mTORC1. CASTOR1 homodimerizes and can also heterodimerize with the related protein, CASTOR2. Arginine disrupts the CASTOR1-GATOR2 complex by binding to CASTOR1 with a dissociation constant of ~30 μM, and its arginine-binding capacity is required for arginine to activate mTORC1 in cells. Collectively, these results establish CASTOR1 as an arginine sensor for the mTORC1 pathway.

Controlling Allosteric Networks in Proteins

Allosteric transition, defined as conformational changes induced by ligand binding, is one of the fundamental properties of proteins. Allostery has been observed and characterized in many proteins, and has been recently utilized to control protein function via regulation of protein activity. Here, we review the physical and evolutionary origin of protein allostery, as well as its importance to protein regulation, drug discovery, and biological processes in living systems. We describe recently developed approaches to identify allosteric pathways, connected sets of pairwise interactions that are responsible for propagation of conformational change from the ligand-binding site to a distal functional site. We then present experimental and computational protein engineering approaches for control of protein function by modulation of allosteric sites. As an example of application of these approaches, we describe a synergistic computational and experimental approach to rescue the cystic-fibrosis-associated protein cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, which upon deletion of a single residue misfolds and causes disease. This example demonstrates the power of allosteric manipulation in proteins to both elucidate mechanisms of molecular function and to develop therapeutic strategies that rescue those functions. Allosteric control of proteins provides a tool to shine a light on the complex cascades of cellular processes and facilitate unprecedented interrogation of biological systems.

The Functional Unit of Neisseria meningitidis 3-Deoxy-ᴅ-Arabino-Heptulosonate 7-Phosphate Synthase Is Dimeric

Neisseria meningitidis 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (NmeDAH7PS) adopts a homotetrameric structure consisting of an extensive and a less extensive interface. Perturbation of the less extensive interface through a single mutation of a salt bridge (Arg126-Glu27) formed at the tetramer interface of all chains resulted in a dimeric DAH7PS in solution, as determined by small angle X-ray scattering, analytical ultracentrifugation and analytical size-exclusion chromatography. The dimeric NmeDAH7PS^R126S variant was shown to be catalytically active in the aldol-like condensation reaction between d-erythrose 4-phosphate and phosphoenolpyruvate, and allosterically inhibited by l-phenylalanine to the same extent as the wild-type enzyme. The dimeric NmeDAH7PS^R126S variant exhibited a slight reduction in thermal stability by differential scanning calorimetry experiments and a slow loss of activity over time compared to the wild-type enzyme. Although NmeDAH7PS^R126S crystallised as a tetramer, like the wild-type enzyme, structural asymmetry at the less extensive interface was observed consistent with its destabilisation. The tetrameric association enabled by this Arg126-Glu27 salt-bridge appears to contribute solely to the stability of the protein, ultimately revealing that the functional unit of NmeDAH7PS is dimeric.

Stochastic focusing coupled with negative feedback enables robust regulation in biochemical reaction networks

Nature presents multiple intriguing examples of processes that proceed with high precision and regularity. This remarkable stability is frequently counter to modellers' experience with the inherent stochasticity of chemical reactions in the regime of low-copy numbers. Moreover, the effects of noise and nonlinearities can lead to 'counterintuitive' behaviour, as demonstrated for a basic enzymatic reaction scheme that can display stochastic focusing (SF). Under the assumption of rapid signal fluctuations, SF has been shown to convert a graded response into a threshold mechanism, thus attenuating the detrimental effects of signal noise. However, when the rapid fluctuation assumption is violated, this gain in sensitivity is generally obtained at the cost of very large product variance, and this unpredictable behaviour may be one possible explanation of why, more than a decade after its introduction, SF has still not been observed in real biochemical systems. In this work, we explore the noise properties of a simple enzymatic reaction mechanism with a small and fluctuating number of active enzymes that behaves as a high-gain, noisy amplifier due to SF caused by slow enzyme fluctuations. We then show that the inclusion of a plausible negative feedback mechanism turns the system from a noisy signal detector to a strong homeostatic mechanism by exchanging high gain with strong attenuation in output noise and robustness to parameter variations. Moreover, we observe that the discrepancy between deterministic and stochastic descriptions of stochastically focused systems in the evolution of the means almost completely disappears, despite very low molecule counts and the additional nonlinearity due to feedback. The reaction mechanism considered here can provide a possible resolution to the apparent conflict between intrinsic noise and high precision in critical intracellular processes.

Protein engineering: a new frontier for biological therapeutics

Protein engineering holds the potential to transform the metabolic drug landscape through the development of smart, stimulusresponsive drug systems. Protein therapeutics are a rapidly expanding segment of Food and Drug Administration approved drugs that will improve clinical outcomes over the long run. Engineering of protein therapeutics is still in its infancy, but recent general advances in protein engineering capabilities are being leveraged to yield improved control over both pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Stimulus- responsive protein therapeutics are drugs which have been designed to be metabolized under targeted conditions. Protein engineering is being utilized to develop tailored smart therapeutics with biochemical logic. This review focuses on applications of targeted drug neutralization, stimulus-responsive engineered protein prodrugs, and emerging multicomponent smart drug systems (e.g., antibody-drug conjugates, responsive engineered zymogens, prospective biochemical logic smart drug systems, drug buffers, and network medicine applications).

Posttranslational regulation of microbial metabolism

Fluxes in microbial metabolism are controlled by various regulatory layers that alter abundance or activity of metabolic enzymes. Recent studies suggest a division of labor between these layers: transcriptional regulation mostly controls the allocation of protein resources, passive flux regulation by enzyme saturation and thermodynamics allows rapid responses at the expense of higher protein cost, and posttranslational regulation is utilized by cells to directly take control of metabolic decisions. We present recent advances in elucidating the role of these regulatory layers, focusing on posttranslational modifications and allosteric interactions. As the systematic mapping of posttranslational regulatory events has now become possible, the next challenge is to identify those regulatory events that are functionally relevant under a given condition.

Rational design of allosteric regulation of homoserine dehydrogenase by a nonnatural inhibitor L-lysine

Allosteric proteins, which can sense different signals, are interesting biological parts for synthetic biology. In particular, the design of an artificial allosteric enzyme to sense an unnatural signal is both challenging and highly desired, for example, for a precise and dynamical control of fluxes of growth-essential but byproduct pathways in metabolic engineering of industrial microorganisms. In this work, we used homoserine dehydrogenase (HSDH) of Corynebacterium glutamicum, which is naturally allosterically regulated by threonine and isoleucine, as an example to demonstrate the feasibility of reengineering an allosteric enzyme to respond to an unnatural inhibitor L-lysine. For this purpose, the natural threonine binding sites of HSD were first predicted and verified by mutagenesis experiments. The threonine binding sites were then engineered to a lysine binding pocket. The reengineered HSD only responds to lysine inhibition but not to threonine. This is a significant step toward the construction of artificial molecular circuits for dynamic control of growth-essential byproduct formation pathway for lysine biosynthesis.

Design of allosterically regulated protein catalysts

Activity of allosteric protein catalysts is regulated by an external stimulus, such as protein or small molecule binding, light activation, pH change, etc., at a location away from the active site of the enzyme. Since its original introduction in 1961, the concept of allosteric regulation has undergone substantial expansion, and many, if not most, enzymes have been shown to possess some degree of allosteric regulation. The ability to create new catalysts that can be turned on and off using allosteric interactions would greatly expand the chemical biology toolbox and will allow for detection of environmental pollutants and disease biomarkers and facilitate studies of cellular processes and metal homeostasis. Thus, design of allosterically regulated protein catalysts represents an actively growing area of research. In this paper, we describe various approaches to achieving regulation of catalysis.

Allosteric ACTion: the varied ACT domains regulating enzymes of amino-acid metabolism

Allosteric regulation of enzyme activity plays important metabolic roles. Here we review the allostery of enzymes of amino-acid metabolism conferred by a discrete domain known as the ACT domain. This domain of 60-70 residues has a βαββαβ topology leading to a four-stranded β4β1β3β2 antiparallel sheet with two antiparallel helices on one face. Extensive sequence variation requires a combined sequence/structure/function analysis for identification of the ACT domain. Common features include highly varied modes of self-association of ACT domains, ligand binding at domain interfaces, and transmittal of allosteric signals through conformational changes and/or the manipulation of quaternary equilibria. A recent example illustrates the relatively facile adoption of this versatile module of allostery by gene fusion.

Crystal structure of Clostridium acetobutylicum Aspartate kinase (CaAK): An important allosteric enzyme for amino acids production

Aspartate kinase (AK) is an enzyme which is tightly regulated through feedback control and responsible for the synthesis of 4-phospho-l-aspartate from l-aspartate. This intermediate step is at an important branch point where one path leads to the synthesis of lysine and the other to threonine, methionine and isoleucine. Concerted feedback inhibition of AK is mediated by threonine and lysine and varies between the species. The crystal structure of biotechnologically important Clostridium acetobutylicum aspartate kinase (CaAK; E.C. 2.7.2.4; Mw = 48,030 Da; 437aa; SwissProt: Q97MC0) has been determined to 3 Å resolution. CaAK acquires a protein fold similar to the other known structures of AKs despite the low sequence identity (<30%). It is composed of two domains: an N-terminal catalytic domain (kinase domain) and a C-terminal regulatory domain further comprised of two small domains belonging to the ACT domain family. Pairwise comparison of 12 molecules in the asymmetric unit helped to identify the bending regions which are in the vicinity of ATP binding site involved in domain movements between the catalytic and regulatory domains. All 12 CaAK molecules adopt fully open T-state conformation leading to the formation of three tetramers unique among other similar AK structures. On the basis of comparative structural analysis, we discuss tetramer formation based on the large conformational changes in the catalytic domain associated with the lysine binding at the regulatory domains. The structure described herein is homologous to a target in wide-spread pathogenic (toxin producing) bacteria such as Clostridiumtetani (64% sequence identity) suggesting the potential of the structure solved here to be applied for modeling drug interactions. CaAK structure may serve as a guide to better understand and engineer lysine biosynthesis for the biotechnology industry.

Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering for the Discerning Macromolecular Crystallographer

The role of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) in structural biology is now well established, and its usefulness in combination with macromolecular crystallography is clear. However, the highly averaged SAXS data present a significant risk of over-interpretation to the unwary practitioner, and it can be challenging to frame SAXS results in a manner that maximises the reliability of the conclusions drawn. In this review, a series of recent examples are used to illustrate both the challenges for interpretation and approaches through which these can be overcome.

Allosteric inhibitor specificity of Thermotoga maritima 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase

3-Deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (DAH7PS) catalyses the first step of the shikimate pathway for the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids. Allosteric regulation of Thermotoga maritima DAH7PS is mediated by L-Tyr binding to a discrete ACT regulatory domain appended to a core catalytic (β/α)8 barrel. Variants of T. maritima DAH7PS (TmaDAH7PS) were created to probe the role of key residues in inhibitor selection. Substitution Ser31Gly severely reduced inhibition by L-Tyr. In contrast both L-Tyr and L-Phe inhibited the TmaHis29Ala variant, while the variant where Ser31 and His29 were interchanged (His29Ser/Ser31His), was inhibited to a greater extent by L-Phe than L-Tyr. These studies highlight the role and importance of His29 and Ser31 for determining both inhibitory ligand selectivity and the potency of allosteric response by TmaDAH7PS.

Neisseria meningitidis expresses a single 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase that is inhibited primarily by phenylalanine

Neisseria meningitidis is the causative agent of meningitis and meningococcal septicemia is a major cause of disease worldwide, resulting in brain damage and hearing loss, and can be fatal in a large proportion of cases. The enzyme 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (DAH7PS) catalyzes the first reaction in the shikimate pathway leading to the biosynthesis of aromatic metabolites including the aromatic acids l-Trp, l-Phe, and l-Tyr. This pathway is absent in humans, meaning that enzymes of the pathway are considered as potential candidates for therapeutic intervention. As the entry point, feedback inhibition of DAH7PS by pathway end products is a key mechanism for the control of pathway flux. The structure of the single DAH7PS expressed by N. meningitidis was determined at 2.0 Å resolution. In contrast to the other DAH7PS enzymes, which are inhibited only by a single aromatic amino acid, the N. meningitidis DAH7PS was inhibited by all three aromatic amino acids, showing greatest sensitivity to l-Phe. An N. meningitidis enzyme variant, in which a single Ser residue at the bottom of the inhibitor-binding cavity was substituted to Gly, altered inhibitor specificity from l-Phe to l-Tyr. Comparison of the crystal structures of both unbound and Tyr-bound forms and the small angle X-ray scattering profiles reveal that N. meningtidis DAH7PS undergoes no significant conformational change on inhibitor binding. These observations are consistent with an allosteric response arising from changes in protein motion rather than conformation, and suggest ligands that modulate protein dynamics may be effective inhibitors of this enzyme.

The diversity of allosteric controls at the gateway to aromatic amino acid biosynthesis

Present within bacteria, plants, and some lower eukaryotes 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (DAHPS) catalyzes the first committed step in the synthesis of a number of metabolites, including the three aromatic amino acids phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. Catalyzing the first reaction in an important biosynthetic pathway, DAHPS is situated at a critical regulatory checkpoint-at which pathway input can be efficiently modulated to respond to changes in the concentration of pathway outputs. Based on a phylogenetic classification scheme, DAHPSs have been divided into three major subtypes (Iα, Iβ, and II). These subtypes are subjected to an unusually diverse pattern of allosteric regulation, which can be used to further subdivide the enzymes. Crystal structures of most of the regulatory subclasses have been determined. When viewed collectively, these structures illustrate how distinct mechanisms of allostery are applied to a common catalytic scaffold. Here, we review structural revelations regarding DAHPS regulation and make the case that the functional difference between the three major DAHPS subtypes relates to basic distinctions in quaternary structure and mechanism of allostery.